§ Mr. Bradleyasked the Minister of Aviation what further financial assistance the Government will provide for Short Brothers and Harland.
§ Mr. MulleyThe conditional grant of £10 million which was announced on 8th February, 1963, and of which £7.5 million has been contributed by the United Kingdom Government and £2.5 million by the Government of Northern Ireland, has proved insufficient to meet the 369W company's needs during the period while they are completing orders for Belfast aircraft and Seacat missiles. We have therefore decided to make available to Short Brothers and Harland a loan of £510,00 to enable them to maintain their current programme. The terms of this loan, which is separate from the special loan of £2.5 million for Skyvan production, are being negotiated with the company. A supplementary Estimate will be laid before the House, and the advance will be made from the Civil Contingencies Fund in anticipation of Parliamentary approval.
This is an interim advance and the question of what additional aid may be required to enable them to carry on until 31st August, 1967, when the agreement relating to the conditional grant comes to an end, will be reviewed early in the New Year.—[Vol. 671, c. 105–6.]